Hope
by 13 o'clock Erik
Summary: GabrielVlad FRIENDSHIP. Get over it slashers. Vlad gave him back his memory, offered him eternal life, and promised to be his brother. Dracula has one last gift to give Van Helsing. NON PERVYNESS!


Hope

Rating: M

Summary: My rewrite of the end of Van Helsing, keeping with the Gabriel/Vlad FRIENDSHIP pairing. Could kind go along with my other Van Helsing fic.

Disclaimer: I love disclaimers. They are fun. Van Helsing belongs to Universal, I believe. And the song title and lyrics belong to Arjen Lucassen, coordinator of Aryeon. The song is called "Hope" and is a bit of a misnomer as this fic is hopeLESS. It is off the album "The Human Eqaution" and I highly "suggest" you go out and buy it. (Waves pointy stick in your direction) GO BUY IT! And he's DUTCH too, so meh!

Dedication: Hmmm… This fic is dedicated to… well I suppose my friend Grace. This song makes me cry because I remind me, oddly enough, of us. But the fic isn't us. Well, yet. So… yeah…

A/N: Also, I've taken liberties with vampire death. I dislike the know disintergratey POOF! thing. Also the whole shriveling is not nearly angsty enough for me. I've always thought vampires would leave behind a corpse. For full info, see the horror movie "The Lost Boys". Spiffiest movie ever.

&$#$&

Gabriel Van Helsing sat by his lost friend. Vladislaus Valerious, Dracula, was dying in his arms. Again. Unwillingly, he remembered the last time he had held his brother in his arms and watched the light in his eyes go out.

_ Let me take you back  
To the time when we were chasing all the girls_  
_ Two maniacs  
Indulging the pleasure of this world_

A mixture of strange emotions was welling up within him. He had just lost Anna, and that had been his doing. As was his friend's imminent death. The grotesque wound in this throat and shoulder shone with blood as Gabriel cradled him close.

_ So much to see, so much to live for  
Question to answer, places to go  
So much to be so much to care for  
Deep down inside I think you know  
You are free… come back to me!_

"D'you… D'you remember…" Vladislaus whispered painfully.

"What did you say?" Gabriel asked.

"D'you remember those twins we… erm… courted?" the pale man asked.

"Ya. I do. What of them?"

"One of them had a child… Think it was yours…" Vlad murmured.

Gabriel looked alarmed. He raised one eyebrow too stare at his friend. The vampire laughed, a harsh choking sound that rent Gabriel's heart in two.

"I'm joking, my friend. Only joking…"

He went silent for a while. His silence was unnerving to Gabriel.

"You can't die." Gabriel mumbled heartbrokenly.

_ Look ahead and see  
There are still so many borders we could cross  
Just you and me  
Making up for all the time that we have lost_

"I don't have a ch-choice in the matter, my old friend."

"Vlad don't-"

"Listen. Listen to me." The vampire interrupted harshly, "I don't have much time."

"Vlad I'm sorry-"

"Hush! Just listen… None of this is your fault."

Gabriel couldn't help snorting.

"I've killed you twice, Vladislaus. How is this not my fault?"

"Gabriel…" the vampire's voice was weak and breathy. "We've lost so much time… I wish… none of this had happened-" he choked suddenly.

_ So much to see  
_ **He may be right**  
_ So much to live for  
_ **I've got to fight**

Gabriel's eyes filled with tears, his friend was going fast. He hated that he was doing this for a second time. At that moment he hated God. He hated Him for making him the Left Hand. Hated the Order for allowing him to carry on when he should have died long ago. Died with his brother.

"Gabriel… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

Vampires cried tears of blood. Rivulets of red traced their way down the Count's high cheek-boned face.

_ Questions to answer  
_ **I will pull through**  
_ Places to go  
_ **Take me with you**

"I want to fight… I want to live… But I'm so tired, Gabriel. So tired…"

"Stay with me. I can't lose you again. I've already lost Anna-"

"She's a good child…" Dracula murmured hazily.

"Vlad, she's dead…"

The vampire, making a huge effort, tried to raise his head. He fixed his dark eyed stare on the limp body of his kinswoman.

"Bring her… bring her to me…" he ordered, as fiercely as he could.

Van Helsing frowned.

"It's my fault. She's gone, Vlad. There's nothing-"

"Bring her!" the vampire hissed.

Gabriel obediently stood, laying his friend back against the wall. He went to Anna's side and picked her up in his arms, cradling her lovingly and savouring the feel of her in his arms.

_ So much to be  
_** I**** will not break**  
_ So much to care for  
_ **I must awake**

"Lie her next to me." Dracula said weakly.

Gabriel lay Anna next to the wounded Count, watching warily as the vampire gently touched Anna's cold form. He sighed deeply, leaned back, then brought his wrist to his lips. Gabriel flinched as he heard a sickening crunch. A moment later Vladislaus had brought his wrist away, dripping blood.

"Open her mouth."

"She's dead-"

"Nearly. Open her mouth."

"Won't she be turned into a vampire?"

"No. I have not had her blood, and I do not will it. Open her mouth."

Gabriel hesitantly parted her lips. The vampire squeezed his wrist and a stream of blood dripped into her mouth. To Gabriel's complete and utter shock, a few moments later; Anna moaned and licked at her lips.

_Deep down inside I think you know  
_**I think I know**  
_You are free  
_**I am free**

A faint smile flickered over Vlad's face as Anna's eyes opened and she glanced at both men. Vladislaus pressed his wrist to her lips and one of her hands came up to clamp it tightly in place. Gabriel's eyes flicked from Anna to her ancestor.

Anna drank deep of the blood, her life restored, the broken bones in her back healed. The look on Vladislaus' pale face was peaceful; the vampire knew he was dying, this time it was final. He was looking forward to a nice rest. He was glad he could assist his friend in one last task.

Gabriel's eyes fixed on the face of his old friend. He saw the exact moment when the light went out for the last time. The mercenary let out a sob, collapsing to his knees next to the body. Anna released the vampire's arm. Her mouth was smeared with blood, her own eyes filling with tears as she saw and shared in Van Helsing's grief.

Torn and bloodied, Gabriel gathered his friend one last time to his chest, crying openly. The pain was too great. The torment too much. The events of the past few hundred years had weighed on his shoulders over the past few hours wit ha pressure that would have crushed a lesser man

"Vlad… I'm sorry. This should never have happened. Come back…"

A peaceful silence descended over the chamber they were in. The scene was one that has reappeared over the years: A man who has lost everything. Who has found something that he held dear, only to lose it again.

Van Helsing held a dead vampire in his arms; Anna knelt beside him, a comforting arm around his shoulder as he grieved.

_Come back to me.  
Come back to me._  
**_There's no way, my whole world is black_**  
_Come back to me  
**I try to shout, something's holding me back.**  
Come back to me._

&$#$&


End file.
